Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Star Wars Live Action TV Series

Since Return of the Jedi came out in 1983, rumors have been floating around about the possibility of a TV series set in the Star Wars universe. Every now and then something happens to stir up those rumors again-like when the Young Indiana Jones series came out in 1992 or with the release of the prequels in 1999. As of yet, nothing solid has materialized.

One of my bosses recently sent me an 'off-the-cuff' interview with Rick McCallum, George Lucas' right-hand-man (and biggest fan). In this interview, McCallum mentions the TV series again-saying that they have 50 scripts already written. He also went on to say that the 'working title' of the series is "Underworld" and it will focus on criminal gangs and the like during the period between the prequels and original trilogy-in those twenty years when Luke and Leia were growing up. He was quick to point out that it wouldn't be about Luke though. The sticking point of the series, according to McCallum, is the price point per episode. They're trying to get it down to a manageable 5-Million per episode. Until they get closer to that goal, the series will, it seems, remain in limbo. McCallum just hopes that it'll be released 'before he dies'.

You and me both, buddy.

In any case, this little inkling as to what the series might be is, to me, encouraging. I have said before that what I thought the prequels were lacking was a 'Han Solo' type character who WASN'T a Jedi or Sith. A series about the underworld of the Star Wars galaxy has promise. I mean, just imagine a show kind of like Firefly (a ship full of misfits) only in the Star Wars universe. I'm onboard with that.

Smugglers, Pirates, Bounty Hunters, Crimelords. Yeah, that will be a nice change from Jedi Generals and Clone Troopers.

That having been said, I'm sure that with the HUGE focus on lightsaber-wielders since the prequel release that we'll see far too many of them for my liking-even in an era where most of them are supposed to be dead.

Here's hoping this show actually happens within MY lifetime. And here's doubly hoping it doesn't suck.